It's easy to feel vain about the look of your hair, especially if you have concerns over visible thinning and hair loss. Yet, some men don't seem bothered by their receding hair lines or shiny scalp, and embrace their baldness instead by shaving their heads completely. Is going bald with so much enthusiasm really a good idea, or is it better to consider treatment for your hair loss instead?

The History of Baldness

Planned baldness, or shaving your head for the sake of fashion, has been in style just about since the dawn of time.

In ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece, shaved heads were not uncommon and were even preferred. Egyptians then wore stylish wigs over their shaved heads for the blunt-cut black hairdo that so epitomizes this culture's fashion history. Priests in Egypt took this concept even further by removing all hair via plucking, including facial and body hair.

During the reign of King Louis XIII of France, his premature baldness (at the tender age of just 23) led to a new fashion craze: the elaborate, curly-haired wig. Wigs soon became a status symbol in their own right, as evidenced by most of the royalty throughout Europe as well as the first American presidents.

Baldness wasn't always the height of status and fashion, however. In fact, a number of cultures viewed shaving the head as a punishment or penance, which is why so many prisoners are seen with bald heads in historical photos and etchings. Other cultures shaved their heads in times of mourning to show their grief as well as giving respect to their loved ones. And even very recently, a Japanese pop star shaved her head to show her contrition for violating the rules of her band, begging forgiveness for her transgressions.

Rather than covering up with a wig afterwards, more men these days are likely to shave their heads and flaunt a shiny skull. Stars like Bruce Willis, Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad and Vin Diesel have all made headlines with their squeaky clean look that has become synonymous with the tough guy persona. Even more elegant actors like Patrick Stewart, Ben Kingsley and Stanley Tucci are recognizable by their characteristic hair-or lack thereof.

There is no denying that baldness is a very distinctive look, whether as a deliberate fashion statement or natural occurrence. It may not be right for everyone for this reason. For men who don't want to resort to the buff action star look, Propecia offers a simple solution that not only prevents active hair loss, but also encourages regrowth even in dormant hair follicles. Rogaine offers another treatment option: a cream that needs to be applied twice daily for maximum effect instead of coming in pill form like Propecia. If you're not quite ready to commit to going bald, there are plenty of options to keep the hair you have.